Fugitive takes Pasig family hostage

MANILA, Philippines - To elude pursuing policemen, a man who is the subject of four arrest warrants barged into a house in Pasig City yesterday and took a family hostage before giving himself up three hours later.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel said Jeffrey Fayo, 32, surrendered only after his .45 caliber automatic pistol ran out of bullets.

Laurel said Fayo is wanted for allegedly robbing at least four stores in Pasig City and neighboring cities and municipalities, particularly in Rizal province.

Fayo, a resident of Mabuhay Homes in Barangay Pantok, Binangonan, Rizal, was spotted in Barangay Rosario at about 1:45 a.m. yesterday.

Members of the Pasig police force’s follow-up and Special Weapons and Tactics units rushed to the area amid reports that Fayo was seen carrying a handgun.

A team composed of Senior Police Officer 3 Raul Casino, SPO1 Ariel Galvelo, PO3 Ignacio Santos, PO3 Guiliver Vega and PO2 Romeo Solon were about to serve four arrest warrants on Fayo when he sensed the policemen’s presence.

In a bid to escape, Fayo barged into a house in the Ramos Compound and took hostage Ricardo Cruz and his wife, Vivian, and their five children, Superintendent Alfredo Calama-an, Pasig City police chief said.

Fayo shot at policemen who tried to enter the house.

According to reports, the couple’s eldest son scuffled with Fayo for possession of the handgun, allowing Vivian and three of her children to escape. Ricardo and daughter Cristine, 17, were left behind.

Calama-an, EPD intelligence chief Superintendent Remus Medina, and EPD investigation chief Senior Inspector Oscar Mansibang took turns negotiating with Fayo, who refused to surrender.

The robbery suspect demanded to talk with GMA newscaster Arnold Clavio and any of the four Tulfo brothers, who were all unavailable. Over three hours, several television reporters also tried but failed to convince Fayo to surrender.

Pasig City Councilor Rodrigo Asilo arrived and, together with Mansibang, convinced Fayo to surrender. The suspect handed his gun, its magazine already empty, to Asilo and released the remaining hostages.

Police officers found a plastic sachet of what may be shabu when they frisked Fayo as they brought him to the Pasig City General Hospital for medical examination.

Laurel ordered the filing of slight illegal detention, grave threats, assault upon an agent in authority and illegal drug possession charges against Fayo before the Pasig City prosecutor’s office.